Fun at the Herb Festival

This past weekend was the PA Herb Festival. It is a little too early for me to buy plants, but that didn't seem to be an issue for the hundreds and hundreds of people who streamed past our booth loaded down with armloads of plants. People are eager to get started, and maybe they have a place to keep the plants healthy for another few weeks.
I took the camera along because I wanted to add to my collection of people looking at the magazine that I keep at: www.facebook.dj/essentialherbal Looking over the photos, it occurs to me that A) I have some pretty darned cute people in my life, and B) herb people are fun.

Case in point: Susanna Reppert is covered with dust and dirt after a hypertufa workshop she led. She came back inside looking like a young child who'd been making mud pies, grinning and laughing at the whole situation. We are often next to Susanna and The Rosemary House, and at least a little bit of our time is spent laughing really hard.

The "main event" for this function was a lecture by Susan Wittig Albert, the creator and author of the book series featuring China Bayles, the mystery solving herbalist. I've talked to Susan on-line several times, and it was really a pleasure to meet her in person. She's a lovely, warm woman who has a very large following! You can subscribe to her newsletter here.

Sharon Magee is one of those friends that you just never get enough of being around. She has an infectious excitement for living and is interested in just about everything. Plus, she's fun. Her business is Herbal Pottery, and there is no website. As she would say, she has enough trouble keeping up with orders without putting something up to make it worse! That is how beautiful her work is. Naturally, I didn't get a good picture of any of it...

Roxane is a lover of herbs. She worked for many years on the herb festival, and currently announces and introduces all of the speakers and workshops. I love watching her scurry around making sure she has all of her ducks in a row. Roxane is a vital part of the festival for me.

Here Maryanne talks to a customer as several people browse our wares. There was a fairly steady stream of people through the venue...EXCEPT we could have closed about 1-1/2 hours earlier on Friday, and there was NO reason to open at 8 am on Saturday. I mean really. 8 am on a Saturday???

Molly sold books while Susan Wittig Albert signed them. Here, everything is set up, awaiting the arrival of the author. It was one of the first times that Molly has participated in a festival, and my friends haven't seen her for several years. I enjoyed having her along and hearing her kidding around with people she hasn't talked to since being a tween.

Len and Gerry of Vileniki (which is no longer in operation due to retirement) stopped by to check out the festival. They are always a bright spot in any day.

Debbi of Blue Moon Herbals was there with her stunningly beautiful wares. We are never set up close together enough to really jaw, but we do talk a bit and catch up at every show.

I just loved this one: The huntress becomes the hunted. Behind the guy with the yellow shirt, Sarah of Herbs from the Labyrinth is set up.

There were many other friends there, and it was lots and lots of fun. I got to meet many of my subscribers, and it is always good to put names to faces - especially now, as the magazine is growing so fast. It seems like only yesterday I personally knew most of the people reading it... but that was long ago.

So... if you see us at a festival, please come up and say hello! I love meeting readers. Be forewarned, though... I might just take your picture :-).

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